I'm sorry it's been so unforgivably long since my last update, and particularly since I've made any substantive progress on a game. The bottom line--which I didn't fully realize until a few days ago--is that I just needed a vacation. It's been a trying 2016, for several reasons, and I needed to spend the summer doing things away from my computer, including making my new house in Maine livable.
This isn't the end of my blog, and I promise I'll be back with gusto at some point during August. I'm just as dedicated as I've always been to making progress on my list. I just needed a longer break than I thought.
We'll be here, enjoy your break!
ReplyDeleteTake it easy and enjoy
ReplyDeleteEveryone needs time to recharge their mana. Enjoy it!!
ReplyDeleteNice one. :o)
DeleteHey, take as much time as you need. Nothing unusual about someone taking the Summer off. I'll look forward to your return.
ReplyDeletei don't think you need any forgiveness lol
ReplyDeletejust be well, be safe, and have a good time ^^ we'll be here when you get back. slavering at the door, no doubt ;)
Take your time. We'll keep the light on for you.
ReplyDeleteTake your time. It's good to get away from the computer occasionally.
ReplyDeleteI've got plenty of your archives still to go through. Enjoy some well deserved time
ReplyDeleteYou're the giver and I'm the taker in this relationship--you deserve a break.
ReplyDeleteEven Gandalf needed a break after the Balrog fight. Take your time and prepare well for future battles!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy jour break!
ReplyDeleteI blame stupidly long and unrewarding games for this. You really need to use the 6-hour rule a bit more, in my opinion. To win and fully review some rare game is good. But not at a price of not having real fun and doing it more like a work. You're still a CRPG Addict, not a CRPG Historian, right?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, have a nice rest!
I blame summer and nice weather outside. But winter is coming. And Addict will be back!
DeleteYeah, I agree with this. The six-hour rule has been apparently replaced by a burning desire to complete everything, so long as it is feasible.
DeleteDitto! How many posts to we need on Fate? We should form the "6 hour rule" cheerleaders. And when the game starts taking to much time and posts, we flood the comments section chanting "6 hour rule! 6 hour rule!"
DeleteTo be fair, I think the 6-hour rule got used too much previous (for Chet's tastes) and that's why it's used less.
DeleteAlso, I looked up Fate once and there isn't much written on it in English, not formally, so in Fate's case at least I appreciate the postings.
Also, in a game so huge and full of nuances as Fate, 6 hours is barely enough to scratch the surface. I'm all for Chet using this rule more deliberately, but I think it should be reformulated as something like a "20% rule".
Deletethe problem is you would only know where to draw the line after completing the game there =/
Deletethe whole point is to be able to cut it off without thinking about stuff like that. personally if i've given a game six hours and it still hasn't gripped me, if i don't *want* to try t oget into it anymore, i think it's probably time to put it down. granted, Chet's purpose is a bit different from pure enjoyment, but we also don't want him burning himself out =/
Not too long ago I suggested that the Addict put in a "mandatory" two-day break after hitting the six-hour mark, to see if the game has enough of a hold to justify spending more time on it. I still think this is a decent idea, and I suppose that this hiatus will go a long way toward testing it.
Deletethe problem is you would only know where to draw the line after completing the game there =/ - well, unless the game is super obscure, he can always rely on commenters' assessments.
DeleteHi chet, I appreciate your choice and wish you happy holidays and a fantastic time. :-)
ReplyDeleteWorth waiting for.
ReplyDeleteWorth waiting for.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason there is no button for me to create my own post, can only reply to others, but just wanted to drop a line and say enjoy your vacation! I got a week coming up "down the shore" and can not wait! Until next time, safe travels and happy trails Mr. Bollingbroke!
DeleteEnjoy your vacation, everyone needs to rest sometime.
ReplyDeleteTake your time. We'll wait!
ReplyDeleteIt's alright, take all the time you need and have a nice vacation. Of course I miss your blogging, that's because it has been such a great read over the years. But don't feel obliged to me or anyone, I'm just enjoying the ride as long as it lasts.
ReplyDeleteTake your time, Chet - it´s just... like withdrawal when I open your website and there is no new post... but take your time of course - you deserve a break!
ReplyDeleteIf this was another start to a faux cRPG review post, it's sadly lacking in comparison with "Downfall", it just reads as someone's real life for chrissakes! Who wants to play such a game?????
ReplyDelete.
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Just kidding ;) Have a nice holiday!
Happy holiday! :)
ReplyDeleteWell as long as you don't do what I usually do after a longer break in a game - start from scratch! :) I don't think we want to go through the early eighties again... :) Enjoy your holidays, we'll be here waiting for you to recharge.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update. Clearly I'm not alone in looking forward to new posts, but I think we all want you to be happy too. Enjoy the break and the new house!
ReplyDeleteI'm envious of what the temperature must be like in Maine compared to my home in New Orleans, and looking forward to reading your next post. Thanks very much for all the great writing to date.
ReplyDeleteNo need to apologize--and thanks for the years of free entertainment. You've got me playing crpgs again.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear it's not the end of your blog, but you take as long as you need to recharge by.
ReplyDeleteHealth and welfare are important. Rest as long as you like.
ReplyDeleteCan't say I blame you. I love RPGS, but have been taking a break for almost a year now and just playing ELITE DANGEROUS. This winter I will jump back into a few games on the list, like the last Fallout game. Might even load up Legend of Blacksilver on the C64 emulator for a blast from the past...
ReplyDeleteI've been playing a lot of Elite:Dangerous as well. It's a great port of the original game. It has received 2016 bells and whistles, but the gameplay is still rather 1984 and has very little player involvement.
DeleteThe game comes across as a bit of a disappointment while still remaining oddly addictive.
Beautiful game, a milestone really which will be better appreciated as time goes on.
DeleteEnjoy the break, Chet! We'll be eager and ready to rejoin your adventures once you're settled and recharged.
ReplyDelete"The bottom line--which I didn't fully realize until a few days ago--is that I just needed a vacation. It's been a trying 2016, for several reasons, and I needed to spend the summer doing things away from my computer, including making my new house in Maine livable.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you realized it before it broke you. You deal with you, we'll be here when you come back.
Why hast thou forsaken us, oh lord? Were we not your good and righteous followers? Did we not #offer corpses of all creatures large and small on your altar? We are stridently aligned, oh lord, and require your wisdom in this our time of need.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this blog! Don't apologize for needing to take care of things. This site is obviously a labor of love, and even if you never made another post, you have created a substantial body of work that is truly a service to those of us who are addicted to old-school CRPGs. I'm just over 50 years old and have fond memories of these games; seeing them brought back to life is a real treat.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, you just have to let go.
ReplyDeleteYes my friend, rest and heal, so that you are strong and able to face the perils before you. Pleasant dreams.
ReplyDeleteMan, you've done so much for CRPG archeology and pleasure of thousands of readers that you could stop completely any time without notice and still wouldn't have to apologize.
ReplyDeleteZzzzz
ReplyDeleteDude. I have been binging through your entire blog for days. Please, PLEASE do Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale or some similar retro infinity engine game review someday. It would be awesome
ReplyDeleteIf you bought No Man's Sky, I want to know which side of that debate you came down on. To me it feels like the first half of a really amazing game like Skyrim, but then they just didn't add the plot/factions/story. Thus, "You can do anything!" quickly becomes "There's no point in doing anything!"
ReplyDeleteI watched the ending to No Man's Sky on YouTube and then marveled at how the developers managed to sell a $20 game for $60. Very happy that I dodged the hype on that one.
DeleteIrene had heard good things about it and I was on the verge of buying it when the negative reviews started coming in. So I never checked it out. Sounded like a good concept, though.
DeleteI know people who love it to bits. I think it is more mismatched expectations than a bad game. It got want to play 19th century European exploring Space-Africa then I think you'll enjoy it.
Delete#286#
ReplyDeleteAs you pull the prong, a grating sound can be heard rumbling on top of you. Looking up, you discovered that you have triggered a trap, releasing a large block of steel adorned with multiple sharp spikes.
Your life ends here.
#287#
Following the river only leads to a small bubbling creek with nothing insight.
You turn back to the mountain path.
Turn to page 221
#288#
After relocating to the township of Maine, you heaved a sigh of relief as you hanged your sword and shield on the wall as your wife welcomes you back to the homestead from your long adventure.
Although the mystical screen linked to the Adventurer's Guild still display several calls of help to save some princesses, defeat some tyrants or stop some cataclysms, you believe (and rightfully so) that you deserve some reprise from this duress of duties which had seem like such a pleasure earlier in your career.
Roll a die.
On a 1-5, regain 1 Stamina Point.
On a 6, you have rested enough. Turn to page 172 to continue your quest.
#172#
DeleteYou return to Fate: Gates of Dawn and Wizard's Crown only to discover you have forgotten how to play either overly complex game.
Roll a die.
On a 1-3, regain 1 Stamina Point and play Fate: Gates of Dawn by turning to page 12
On a 4-5, regain 1 Stamina Point and return to Wizard's Crown, booting up the emulator as you turn to page 89
On a 6, you consign both games back to history and move on to page 214
Aahh yes, Fighting Fantasy. I'm very sad they didn't continue the reissue and rerlease all the old books in the end.
DeleteConsidering the fact I've checked the page for updates every day you've been on break I'm sure there'll be a large audience happy to wait for more content.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the break :)
If you are sick of it: drop it. I honestly did not expect you'd make it that far. You could find somebody else to continue your work should you feel you have done enough already. Don't force yourself to go on if you really don't feel like it.
ReplyDeleteDo NOT do this to yourself.
Or, yknow. Just bite the bullet and review Baldur's Gate to get back into the swing of things. :)
DeleteBoth comments here fundamentally misunderstand the nature of my vacation. Take what I say at face value: I'm still very enthusiastic about this hobby, but I needed to take a break from it for a while.
DeleteTake as much time as you need but I would rather see the blog sit idle indefinitely than be taken over by anyone else. There is plenty of other bad writing and bad blogging about games on the internet, so I'd rather just wait for you to come back when you're ready than see the brand you've built be destroyed.
ReplyDeleteThere's no chance at all of that happening.
DeleteWaiting for next post
ReplyDeleteSingle tear rolling down cheek
Addict sleeping in
You know this project? http://crpgaddict.blogspot.it/ maybe you can collaborate
ReplyDeleteops the project is this: https://crpgbook.files.wordpress.com
ReplyDeleteYes, I was given a chance to contribute to that book, but I hemmed and hawed a bit too long, and by the time I said I'd do it, all of the good games were already taken.
DeleteWell, some reviewers have since given up on some reviews, so games like Wizardry VI, the Krynn series, NetHack, Omega and Disciples of Steel are all available... *wink wink, nudge nudge*
DeleteAnyway, no pressure! Our doors are always open for you or anyone here who wants to help.
And keep up the good work! I'm mostly curating information from all corners of the internet, but you are revisiting CRPG history in search of hidden gems and unfair legacies, which is an invaluable effort. :)
Ha! Yeah. I'll take a crack at Wizardry VI in a project populated by RPGCodex. That'll go over well.
DeleteSeriously...damn. I'd LOVE to contribute something on Disciple of Steel (I'd love to do NetHack, too, but that should be done by someone who's played the latest versions), but it's tough to commit to when I'm just trying to get my blog re-started. What kind of deadline would I be looking at? (Feel free to continue this by e-mail.)
Come on man, August is nearly over! Your gusto is in question!
ReplyDeleteI really hope that addict will post something in august, i'm getting serious withdrawal syndrome.
ReplyDeleteI started working again two days ago and have about half to 2/3 a posting on Wizard's Crown done. I may get it out in "August" in a very technical sense, but even if I do't make it tomorrow, it won't be long afterwards.
DeleteThanks!
DeleteI think I had a dream last night that the Addict made a comeback post, but was glumly bogged down by massive computer/emulator problems of one sort or another.
ReplyDelete(And if the idea of commenters dreaming about your blog is kinda freaky, believe me, Chet, I'm no less weirded out about it than you.)
I DID have a bit of an issue with the C64 version of Wizard's Crown.
DeleteThank you very much for this review man, and for retaking the crpg reviews!
ReplyDeleteBarbaJoe
On the plus side, your vacation made it far easier for me to catch up, Mr. Clinton. (You being Bill Clinton is the obvious answer to your needs for secrecy and the timing of your hiatus)
ReplyDelete